Method of pressing cigars.



No. 883,156.. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908. R. WOERNER.

- METHOD OF P-RESSING CIGARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 5, 1907.

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N0 883,156. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908,

R. WOBRNER. METHOD .OF PRESSING CIGARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-5, 1907.

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No. 883,156. PATENTED' MAR. 24, -1908.-

R. WOERNBR.

METHOD OF PRBS'SING CIGARS.

APPLICATION mum 11411.5, 1907. I

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PATEENTED MAR. 24, 1908.

R. WOERNBR. METHOD OF PRESSING CIGARS.

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METHOD OF PRBSSING' CIGARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a, 1901:

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No. 883,156. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908. R. WOER'NER. METHOD OFPRESSINGOIGARS.

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No. 883,156. PATENT-ED MAR. 2 1908;.

- R, WOERNER.

METHGD 0F PRESSING CIGARS.

APPLICATION I'IL'ED Mill. 6, 1907.

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ROBERT WOERNER, OF MANNHEIM, GERMANY.

METHOD OF PRESSING- CIGARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Original application filed November 15, 1905, Serial No. 287 ,445.Divided and this application filed March 5, 1907 Serial No. 860,666.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT WOERNER, a citizen of the Empire of Germany,residing at Mannheim, in the Empire of Germany, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Methods of Pressing Cigars, of which thefollowing is a specification, this application being a division ofapplicants copending case, Serial No. 287 ,445, filed November 15, 1905.

As is well known, the wrapped cigars require to be pressed more or lessstrongly, so as to remove the inequalities between the several cigarsand to insure as uniform as possible a burning of the cigars. With theusual mode of pressing the wrapped cigars it was not possible to avoidan irregular pressing of the cigars, since those cigars, which arenearer to the point of application of the press were necessarily pressedmuch more than the cigars disposed further off from the said point.Moreover, it was not possible to adjust both the pressure in thevertical direction and the pressure in the horizontal direction, so asto totalize or uniformly distribute the pressure. I have discovered,that a satisfactory result could be obtained only in case the verticalpressure stands in a certain proportion to the horizontal pressure, andif at the same time the cigars are permitted to stretch in eitherdirection, when the pressure acts on them in the other direction.

My invention relates to a new method of pressing the cigars, whereby thesaid defects are removed and the cigars are considerably improved upon.

' According to my new method the ressing of the cigars is preferablyeffected in t e manner, that the pressure in either direction at rightangles to the cigars is increased step by step and after each step alittle decreased, the pressure in the vertical direction being appliedalternately with that in the horizontal direction. In other words, thecigars are first subjected to a certain pressure in say the verticaldirection, so that they can stretch in the horizontal direction, thenthey are slightly relieved of pressure, afterwards subjected to acertain pressure in the horizontal direction during which they canstretch in the vertical direction, next they are slightly relieved ofpressure, thereupon subjected.

. to an increased pressure in the vertical direction and again slightlyrelieved of pressure, after which they are subjected to anmcreasedpressure in the horizontal direction and again the pressure isslightlyrelieved, and so on, until the cigars are sufficiently compressed. Thusthe materials of the cigars are given time to adjust themselves in alldirections, so that very good cigars will result, which willburnfavorably. The irregularities produced during the wrapping of thefillers will be completely corrected, the pores or draft channels in thecigars will be equalized and therefore the cigars will be e ssentiallyimproved upon, which means also a considerable improvement from asanitary point of view, since during the smoking of the cigars no moreoxygen of the air will be consumed, than is absolutely necessary for theuniform burning of the cigars. The new method also renders it possibleto give faces to all cigars, the simplest way of so doing being to placeon each layer of cigars a sheet metal iece, the width of whichcorresponds to the length of the cigars and the length of whichcorresponds to that of the cigarboxes. Then the lower layer of cigarswill not be pressed by the upper layers of cigars as hitherto, but bythe sheet metal piece on this. The new method also permits one toproperly and uniformly press cigars of special shapes employing forms ofcork or any other elastic material, in which the mouth ends of thecigars, that is to say, the ends of the cigars, which are taken into themouth for smoking, are placed during the pressing operation. For eachspecial shape of the cigars a corresponding special shape of the elasticforms will be re uired for the mouthpieces of the cigars. T eseelasticforms will contribute to the totalization or uniform distribution of thepressure, they taking up the ressure', which is produced during thepressmg of the thicker portions of the cigars, and thus they insure thedesired uniform quality of the cigars.

For carrying out my new method various apparatuses and packing devicesmay be used. Each apparatus is arranged for roducing at will a pressurein the vertical direction as well as in the horizontal direction, alsofor increasing and reducing the pressure at will. The apparatuscomprises several superposed. tables, by which compartments are formed.The cigars are placed in packing devices, where they are grouped andsuperposed, and these packing devices are placed in the severalcompartments of the T carry the respective tables I) b.

apparatus and there subjected to the pres sures in the manner indicatedabove. The packing devices are arranged for extending each time therespective pressure in either the vertical or the horizontal directionis reduced, so that the cigars are permitted to stretch.

I will now tion with re 'erence to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is anelevation of a part out of an apparatus and shows several superposedtables, the means for moving them towards and away from each other inthe vertical direction and a packing device with four packing boxes onthe lowermost table. Fig. 2- is a horizontal section through the line ABin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of the superposed tables in Fig. 1, andshows a modified packing device on the lowermost table. Fig. 4 shows thepacking device of Fig. 1, with a slight modification. Fig. 5 shows thismodified packing device in an elevated and slightly inclined position.Fi 6 shows on an enlarged scale the lower left and part of the ackingdevice in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section throughanother form of apparatus. Fig. 8 is a side view of the same, seen fromleft to right in Fig.- 7, the driving chain and wheels on the side beingremoved. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another packing box: Fig. 10 isa vertical longitudinal section through a modification of this ackingbox. Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section through anothermodification of the same, and Fig. 12 shows the same packing box as inFig. 10 in combination with an adjusting device.

An apparatus for carrying out my new method is partly shown in Figs. 1,2, 5 and 6. It comprises a plurality of super osed tables I), b, whichare vertically guide( in a frame of any known construction (not shown).I do not describe the construction of the several tables I), b, as it isimmaterial and may be of any known kind. On two opposite sides theseveral tables I) b are connected with each other by means of twosystems of links a a, the crossing points of which The lower ends of thetwo systems a a may be connected with the bottom of the apparatus (notshown), while the upper ends may be connected with some known means (notshown), which serve for shortening and extending at will the two systemsa a, so as to move the several tables I) 5 towards and away from eachother. Each table I) is shown as provided on its bottom surface withfour pressroceed to describe my invenaccompanying ing blocks f f, whichreach from near the one edge to near the o posite edge of the table 6.Four vertical guir ing rods 1 1" may be provided, which pass through theseveral tables b b near their edges, and adjustable stops m m may bearranged on these rods 9" r for limiting the motion of the tables I) 7)towards each other. On each table I) a packing device of the followingconstruction can be placed. This device consists of a base plate 0, foursupports k on the left and right edges of this plate c two parallelscrew-spindles c 6, several (here eight) vertical plates (1 d movable onthe base plate 0, two chain wheels 8 s fastened on the twoscrew-spindles c e, an endless chain 8 and a hand-crank t. The two screwspindles e e are mounted to turn in the four supports 7c 7r and areprovided with alternating right and left screw-threads, which engage innuts (1 d secured in the plates (Z (Z. The latter are disposed in pairsand each pair of plates d d forms a packing box, in which the wrappedcigars are placed in groups and in layers, see the left lower part ofFig. 2. By means of the endless chain 8 and the two chain wheels 8 s thetwo screw spindles e e are connected. It will be seen, that on turningthe hand-crank t in the one direction, the two plates (Z d of eachpacking box will be moved towards each other for compressing the cigars.On turning the hand-crank t in the opposite direction the two plates (1(Z in each of the four packing boxes will be moved away from each other.Where so preferred, stops m m (see Fig. 6) may be disposed on the twoscrew-spindles e e for limiting the motion of the two plates (1 d ineach box towards each other. The plates d (Z may be each provided with acorner piece (Z fastened on its lower edge and two loose corner pieces(Z (i may be used for each packing box. Sheet metal pieces g g areemployed for dividing the superposed cigars in the manner shown at Fig.6. These pieces 9 g are arranged to overlap each other and theiroverlapping edges are beveled. off or sharpened to protect the cigarsfrom damage. The four pressing blocks ff on each table I) may be madeadjustable in their height by adding or taking off pieces, and they aremade to bear on the upper sheet metal pieces g g in the four packingboxes. Each pressing block f f is made so narrow, that it can engagebetween the respective two plates at d in their smallest distance fromeach other.

The apparatus is operated as follows: The hand-crank t of a packingdevice is so much turned in the respective direction as to place the twoplates d d in each packing box at the desired distance from each other,after which the cigars are placed in groups and in layers in the fourpacking boxes, also the sheet metal pieces g g and the loose cornerpieces d (i if the latter are employed. The packing device so charged isplaced on the respective tables I) of the apparatus and another packingdevice is charged in a similar manner and placed on another table I).When the whole apparatus is charged, 'say the two systems of links a aare shortened so much as to produce a certain pressure in the verticaldirection on the cigars. Then they are extended a little to loosen thecigars, and afterwards the several hand-cranks t t are turned one afterthe other to compress a little in the horizontal direction the cigars inthe respective compartments of the apparatus while the cigars arepermitted to expand in the vertical direction. After a little turningback the hand-cranks t, t to loosen the cigars a little, the two systemsof links a, a are shortened a little further to compress the cigars inthe vertical direction, while they are permitted to expand in thehorizontal direction. Thereupon the systems of links a a are againextended a little to loosen the cigars and next the hand-cranks t t areturned further to compress the cigars a little more in the horizontaldirection. In this manner the operation of the apparatus is continued,until the cigars are sufficiently compressed. After subjecting thecigars to the final pressure for a sufficient time, the two systems oflinks a a are again extended and the packing devices are taken off thetables I) b and the cigars are released and placed. in the cigar-boxesor other packages as the case may be.

Where so preferred, the supports 75 k on the one side of each base plate0 may be ar ranged to be turned down and those supports on the otherside may be fastened on hinges i on the base plate in the manner clearlyshown at Figs. 4 and 5, so as to facilitate the discharge of the cigarsby turning upwards 135 the two screw-spindles e e with the packing boxes(see Fig. 5), so that the cigars can be pushed into the respectivecigar-boxes or otherwise removed. The pressing blocks ff may be variedin their height in the manner '40 described, so as to vary at will, thepressure in the several packing boxes.

The ap aratus may be modified in the manner sfiown at Fig. 3. Here thetwo screw-spindles e 6 with the two chain wheels s s, the endless chain.9 and the hand-crank t of each packing device of Fig. 2 are replaced bytwo systems of links a a which are actuatedby the operation of thepressing blocks f, f for compressing, loosening and releasing 5. 7 thecigars. There is a further difference between the two packing devices inthat only five plates d d are required in Fig. 3 and these plates areconnected with the crossing points of the two systems a a. They formfour '55: packing boxes, the same as the eight plates d d in Figs. 1 and2. The four plates d d are guided on horizontal guiding rods q g, whichare secured in the supports 7c 7c. The four pressing blocks f f may bedisconnected from" f the table 7) above and be arranged to be placed onthe upper sheet metal pieces g g in the four packing boxes. In this casevertical slotted links it h are employed for vertically guiding thepressing blocks f These links it 71. are pivotally connected with thelower free end pins of the systems a a and are held in their verticalpositions by the upper free end pins of the systems a er engaging intheir slots.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 7 andv 8 differs from the previous one inthat the systems of links a a and a a are replaced by rods, whichservefor moving a part of the hori zontal tables and the vertical plates,whereby the great wear and tear of the many pins in those systems isreduced to a minimum. This apparatus comprises a frame 1 with twostationary head plates 2, 2 secured therein and two screw-spindles e e,which are mounted to turn in four cross bars 24, 24 of the frame 1. Thescrew-spindles e e are connected with each other by means of two chainwheels 34, 34, an endless chain 25 and a hand-crank 26. They areprovided with right-and left screw threads, which engage in tworectangular frames 22, 22. It will be seen, that by turning thehand-cranks 26 in the one or the other direction the two frames 22, 22will be moved towards each other or away from each other respectively.Suitable recesses 27, 27 in the two head plates 2, 2 permit this motionof the two frames 22, 22. A cross beam 10 is provided in the frame 1 forcarrying a vertical screw-spindle 9, from which latter a cage of thefollowing construction is suspended by means of a nut 8. This cageconsists of a transverse bar 7, four vertical rods 4, 4 and two tablesI) b, collars 5, 5 and 6, 6 being employed for securing these parts atthe proper distancesfrom each other. The tables I) b are provided withrecesses 28, 28, which correspond to those 27 27 of the head plates 2',2. It will be now evident, that by turning the vertical screw-spindle 9by means of a hand wheel 11 in the one or the other direction the twotables I) b will be simultaneously raised and lowered to decrease and toincrease the distance between the two head plates 2, 2 and the twotables I) b respectively. Two packing devices of the followingconstruction are required for charging this apparatus. Each packingdevice comprises a base plate 17, four vertical guiding bolts 15, 15secured thereon, two horizontal guiding rods 1 Q guided at their ends onthese bolts 15, 15 and six vertical plates 12, 13, 12, 13 guided on thetwo rods q q. The six plates 12, 13, 12, 13 form three packing boxes.Helical springs 16, 16 surrounding the guiding bolts 15, 15' carry thetwo guiding rods (1 q with the plates 12, 13, 12, 13 and serve forpressing them upwards. These alternating plates 12, 1 2 are rigidlyconnected with each other by means of four horizontal rods 19, 19 withcollars 18, 18 and in a similar manner the three other plates 13, 13 arerigidly connected with each other by means of four horizontal rods 21,21 with collars 20, 20. Of course the rods 19, 19 pass through theplates 13, 13 and the rods 21, 21 through the plates 12, 12.

.. the four vertical rods 4, 4.

Helical springs 29, 29 surrounding the two I served as pressing plates.The two parts of guiding rods Q q serve for pressing the two i such apressing plate overlapping each other plates 12, 13 in each packing boxaway from did not impede the relative motion of the each other, so thatthe left plate 12 in Fig. 7 bears against the left frame 22 and theright plate 13 against the right frame 22. Of course the base plate 17is provided with recesses corresponding to those 28 of the table 1).Within each packing box a pressing block forming its bottom is placed onthe base plate 17. This pressing block consists of two recessed parts30, 30, which overlap each other and are pressed aside by springs 33.The upper gap between the two parts 30 30 is covered with a sheet metalpiece 31, which is beveled ofi on two opposite edges and is fastened onthe one part 30. Thus the cigars are prevented from getting into the gapand also from being damaged. This apparatus is operated as follows: Thehand-wheel 11 is turned, until the cage with the two tables 5 I) isquite lowered and the hand-crank 26 is turned, until the two frames 22,22 bear on Then the apparatus will be readyfor the introduction of twoor more packing devices charged with cigars. After this introduction thehand-wheel 11 and the hand-crank 26 are turned, until the cigars arecompletely inclosed. Then say that hand-wheel 1]. is so much turned asto compress the cigars a little in the vertical direction, next turnedback to loosen the cigars a little. This loosening of the cigars isfacilitated by the springs 16 acting upon the tables I) b and by thesprings 29, 29 acting upon the plates 12, 13, 12, 13. Thereupon thehand-crank 26 is so much turned as to compress the cigars a little inthe horizontal direction, while they are permitted to stretch in thevertical direction, after which the handcrank 26 is turned back, toloosen the cigars a little. These operations are repeated, until thecigars are sufficiently compressed. After the cigars have been left inthe apparatus for the necessary time, the hand-wheel 11 and thehand-crank 26 are turned back to release the two packing devices, whichcan be withdrawn and emptied, after which they g may be charged withfresh cigars.

It is evident, that this apparatus may be varied in many respects. Thenumber of packing boxes in each packing device may be increased ordecreased, the same as the number of the packing devices and accordinglythat of the head plates 2, 2 and the tables I) 5. Where so preferred,each pressing block may be made in three beveled off parts, which engagein each other and are pressed aside by means of springs, as is forexample shown at 32 in Fig. 7. The horizontal rods 19, 21, 19, 21 aredesigned for sustaining a pressure, but it is obvious, that they may bearranged for a tensile strain.

In hitherto known boxes two-part plates were laid in the uppermost layerof cigars and box walls, it is true, but they presented thedisadvantage, that the cigars in the layer in contact therewith wereliable to be damaged by the edge face of the inner part. To protect thecigars in the gap between this edge face and the opposite box wall fromdamages, metal sheets laid over the gap have been tried, but they didnot prove safe and moreover the workpeople mostly neglected to use them.The said two-part pressing plates also presented the disadvantage, thatthe cigars contained in the gap were subjected to a greater pressurethan the other cigars and thereby rendered different from the latter.

An improved packing box according to my invention is shown at Fig. 9,and avoids the above mentioned defects. This packin box consists of abase plate a, two vertica side plates b and c and a cover (1, all ofwhich are made of sheet metal. Both side plates 6 and c are providedwith flanges b b, which clasp the base plate a and serve for guiding theside plates on the latter. The one side plate 0 is so cut out, that thecover (1 can engage in this cut, while it is vertically guided on theother side plate 17 by means of its clasp d. The opening between thecover d and the edge face of the cut in the side plate 0 is preferablycovered with a plate e e. Thus the cover d is vertically movable and thetwo side plates 5 and c are horizon tally movable, so that this packingbox can be put in any known press provided with means for acting uponthe box in the vertical and horizontal directions. Then the cigarsplaced in this packing box can be compressed step by step andalternately in both said directions in the manner described above. Thisimproved packing box offers the advantage, that all its four walls incontact with the cigars are smooth, so that a perfectly uniform pressingof the cigars is insured and all danger of damaging some of the cigarsis avoided.

Fig. 10 shows a modification of the above described improved packing boxand differs therefrom in that a vertical partition wall 4 is fastened onthe base plate a in its mid e and that the cover at is doubled. Insteadof the side plate I) in Fig. 9 a second side plate 0 and a second plate6 are employed. In this case an adjusting device shown at Fig. 12 ispreferably employed for holding the packing box during its charge withcigars, so as to insure the correct and equal contents of bothcompartments. This is necessary, since the pressing blocks of the pressinvariably act on the centers of the respective walls of the box and thepressure is equally distributed on both sides. The said adjusting deviceconsists of a plate h and a screw spindle k with two stopping nuts i i.The packing box is laced with its base plate a in the recess of tieplate It between the two ledges Z Z and is thereby centered. Thescrew-spindle 7c is provided with two opposite screw-threads so that byturning it the two stops *6 t are moved through equal distances inopposite directions. After adjusting the width of the two compartmentsof the packing box, the cigars can be filled in, after which the chargedbox is placed in the press.

In certain cases triangular corner ieces, such as d d in Fig. 6, arerequired to e laid in the packing box. Fig. 11 shows, how the improvedpacking box according to Fig. 11 may be provided with integral cornerpieces g, g and g and loose corner pieces g.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. The herein described method of pressing cigars, which consists inpressing the cigars alternately in directions at right angles to eachother and to the cigars step by step, and slightly relieving thepressure of the cigars prior to each step to permit them to expand inthat direction durin the following step, until the cigars aresuFrciently compressed.

2. The herein described method of compressing cigars, which consists inplacing ex tensible partitions between the cigars, in pressing thecigars alternately in directions at right angles to each other and tothe cigars step by step, and slightly relieving the pressure of thecigars prior to each step to permit them to stretch in that directionduring the following step, until the cigars are sufliciently compressed.

3. The herein described method of compressing cigars, which consists inputting the mouth-ends of the cigars in forms of an elastic material, inplacing extensible partitions between the cigars, in pressing 'thecigars alternately in directions at right angles to each other and tothe cigars step by step,

and slightly relieving the pressure oi the cigars prior to eachstep topermit them to expand in that direction during the following step, untilthe cigars are sufficiently compressed.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in ,the presence of twowitnesses.

ROBERT WOERNER.

WVitnesses:

H. W. I'IARRIS, J 0s. H. LEUTE.

